Zelda's Lullaby
by LyraCat
Summary: Post Skyward Sword. Zelda contemplates her life, who she is, and her relationships thus far having played a pivotal role in Link's journey. Mild ZeLink.


_Lullaby, Goodnight_

 _This melody guides us here,_

 _Together once more_

Her fingers brushed the strings of the harp in her lap. She felt the cool, smooth rock beneath her and a small, gentle breeze against her face. Looking down at her right wrist where a bracelet adorned her delicate arm, the girl sighed. Ever since she woke up from her thousand-year slumber, she hadn't felt the same.

"Impa…" the name left her lips and was carried on the breeze. Faron fireflies lazily flew around her. She dipped her toe in the small pond beneath the rock she sat on. "You were the only one who truly understood me, _both_ of me." She had promised herself never to remove the bracelet that meant so much to her and her dear friend. To never again wear the gown that symbolized the divine one and instead be garbed in her own favorite pink dress. The girl looked up at the sky. She couldn't see much through the tree branches above.

It had been almost a week since it had all ended. Most everyone still lived in the sky. They were wary to stay on the surface overnight, and the Loftwings weren't too keen on the lack of clouds down here. She knew she wouldn't be leaving though. It felt like part of her destiny to stay and watch over the Triforce.

 _Destiny._

The word felt sour. It was all because of destiny and fate that she was in this position now. If only _She_ hadn't –

The girl shook the thought from her head. It wasn't anyone's fault. She only wished things would go back to they way they had been. Back to before all… this.

A memory of the day of the Wing Ceremony came to mind. That was the last time she truly smiled.

It was also the last time she saw his true smile.

She sighed again and brought her hand to the harp. Unconsciously, she began to play the song that set the two of them on this great, intertwined journey. She caught herself and plucked a note harder than she should have, immediately placing her hand across the stings to silent them.

 _No._ She thought. _I'm my own person. I don't need that song anymore._

Everyone treated her differently now that they knew who she really was.

What she really was.

The part that hurt most though was whenever she thought of him. Ever since the day she told him everything, he hadn't held eye contact, and she noticed that when they were together, he seemed… distant.

She stared at the harp, remembering the hours spent practicing in between the times she was embroidering the Sail Cloth. How ironic that the roles they were playing would end up becoming reality. That the song she learned would play a pivotal role in her life, and his.

She had memorized it inside out… and backwards. An idea hit her. She thought for a moment and hit the final note in the song. Then tried the one before that, and another and another. She felt the edges of her mouth curve upward. She seemed almost… happy, was it?

This new song was _Zelda's_ song. Not Hylia's song, not the Ballad of the Goddess. She strummed a few more notes. It reminded her of something… It almost sounded like a lullaby.

"Zelda's Lullaby," she said aloud as she hit the last note. That's what she would call it. Her grin broke into a smile and she began the song again. She had only played a few notes when suddenly she stopped. Her long ears enabled her to hear what no one else could. They were part of what set her on the great journey. Hearing the voice calling her to the surface only to end up there in a terrifying way.

She could tell he was coming, and she knew why.

"It's dangerous to go alone at night. You should have told me where you went," he said a moment later as he stepped out from the brush behind her. She didn't turn to face him and remained silent. "I was worried," he continued.

"Link…" she began. He waited patiently. "…Nevermind." Zelda started to mindlessly strum on the harp. Maybe she would come up with another song, something that fit this scenery. It was almost… fairy-like and the pond bubbled, similar to a fountain. She could easily picture harp music going well in these surroundings.

He walked around to the side of the pond so he could face her and sat on a rock, propping his chin on a knee.

"What are you playing?" He asked when she paused for a moment.

"Nothing now. I was messing around with something earlier."

"The Ballad of the Goddess?"

"Yes, and no. I… I made my own song." She stroked the curve of the golden harp.

"Really? Can you play it?" His face beamed, but it only lasted for a moment. "If… If you want to I mean. The Ballad of the Goddess just fits you so well…" he drifted and looked away. She lifted her hand to the stings once again. After a moment of silence she began the song. He turned, looking at the divine instrument as she played.

"That's beautiful… What do you call it?" He asked in awe once she had finished and set her hand on her knee.

"I named it after myself… I call it Zelda's Lullaby," she said, feeling her face flush with embarrassment. _What sort of person names a song after herself?_ She thought harshly.

"Zelda's Lullaby…" He whispered, though she heard it as clear as day. Hearing him say it made her feel warm. Link seemed the most relaxed he had been since the day of the Wing Ceremony. Though he probably shouldn't have been so relaxed then considering how important of a day it was. Typical Link. Not taking things seriously and sleeping in. "I like it, better than the Ballad of the Goddess. Somehow, it reminds me of you. Could you… teach it to me?"

"Yes!" She said, almost too excitedly. He was a fast learner, and gifted when it came to the harp. Zelda was almost jealous of his talent, but knowing that he'd pick it up quickly and soon she could hear him play it, made her glad of his talent. Zelda smiled, and he smiled back. Not quite a genuine smile, but he was starting to be open with her again.

"Do you know the Ballad of the Goddess backwards?"

"Backwards?" The question caught Link off guard.

"Yeah, if you know the Ballad of the Goddess backwards, then you pretty much know Zelda's Lullaby. I made a few adjustments, but otherwise it's the same. Here, you try," she said, handing him the harp. "Just play through backwards, then I'll let you know what notes to change."

He gently took the instrument from her and paused a moment, probably listening to the song in his head to figure out how to play it backwards. Link began and she instructed him on the new notes. It took him a moment or two to break his habit and adjust to the new tune. The two of them lost track of the time as they enjoyed one another's company while Link learned the new melody.

Once he had come accustomed to all the changes he turned to her. Zelda nodded and he started from the top. She closed her eyes as he played, feeling a soft wind and the quiet buzzing of insects surround her as the theme echoed around the pond by which they sat. The happiest moments of their journey flashed in her mind, the painful memories almost seemed to melt away. She opened her eyes as he finished it flawlessly.

Zelda smiled at Link, and this time he looked her in the eye and smiled back.

It was the smile that she remembered from what seemed like so long ago.

* * *

 **This is the oldest thing of mine that I've written and still have. Thanks to my laptop crashing last semester, I lost years of data and around 50,000 words of various fanfictions that I had never shared since at the time I didn't have an account to post them. I wrote this probably a month or two after I got a new hard drive. Looking back at this, I realize my writing wasn't the best it could be so I touched it up a bit but still wasn't able to fully express it in the way I wanted to.**

 **Please let me know what you think of this story!**


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